F1 News

albers on red bull's decision to extend perez contract

Former driver doesn't understand Red Bull: 'What have you got to lose?'

8 June at 06:45
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  • Ludo van Denderen

For now, it is not Red Bull Racing's weekend in Canada. Max Verstappen barely got into action due to engine problems during the second practice session, while Sergio Perez was stuck in the wet conditions in tenth place. The Mexican was keen to put in a fine performance in Montreal, after two difficult weekends in Imola and Monaco. Despite his poor form, he did get a new contract from Red Bull, much to Christijan Albers' dismay.

The former F1 driver and current analyst states in his column in De Telegraaf that he is 'a bit surprised' that Perez got a new commitment. He suspects that the team does not want a 'fumble' and that Perez is "no danger" to Verstappen. " But if you look at it purely from a sporting point of view, you can hardly say that the Mexican has passed his exam in recent years," Albers said.

'Perez invariably comes up short on Verstappen'

Albers cites that although Perez finished second in the '23 World Chsmpionship, he was almost three hundred points away from Verstappen. 'An unprecedented gap' he calls that. "You can explain it as a safe choice that they continue with him, but on the one hand on the other hand also as dangerous. Because if Red Bull gets real competition, and that's what it looks like lately anyway, then those few tenths Perez invariably falls short of Verstappen could be crucial."

The former driver says he cannot help feeling that the budget Perez brings to Red Bull has been "decisive factor". "After all, does he really perform so much better than young drivers like Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon in the past? Red Bull has the very best driver at the moment, so what do you have to lose when it comes to the driver next to him?" Had Albers been at the helm of the team, he would have dared to put Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson alongside Verstappen.